Explosive composition



Patented July 3, 1934 1,964,755 EXPLOSIVE oomrosrrlon Clifford A. Woodbury, Media, Pa., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application May 23, 1931, Serial No. 539,629

13 Claims. (Cl. 52-21) My invention relates to a process of manufacture of high explosives of the type in which nitroglycerin, or other liquid explosive, has been gelatinized or partially gelatinized by the addition of nitrocellulose.

The usual method of manufacture of gelatinous 'explosive compositions has comprised bringing the various ingredients into intimate contact with one another by thorough mixing in a mixing bowl. The nitroglycerin or other liquid explosive is added first to the mixing bowl, and the nitrocellulose is then dissolved in the nitroglycerin. A very viscous liquid is thus pro- 15 duced, the viscosity depending on the percentage of nitrocellulose dissolved. If sufficient nitrocellulose has been used, the resulting product is in the nature of what is known in the art as blasting gelatin. After the preliminary gelatinization period, other ingredients of the gelatin dynamite may be added and mixed with the liquid explosive if desired.

While the gelatinous explosives made according to the foregoing method have given considerable satisfaction, there have, however, been some disadvantages due to this method of manufacture; for example, when the nitrocellulose has been added to the nitroglycerin in considerable quantity, a lumping 'of this nitrocellulose has taken place at times, which has meant that the nitrocellulose has in some cases not been thoroughly incorporated with the nitroglycerin.

I have found that an improved product is obtained if the nitrocellulose used as a gelatinizing agent, is mixed with a solid non-gelatinizing material previous to its solution in the nitroglycerin. The solid, non-gelatinizing materials that I have found adapted for this purpose include such materials or combinations of the soca1led,dope materials, commonly used in the manufacture of gelatin dynamite, for example, sodium or ammonium nitrate, starch, wood pulp, kieselguhr, calcium carbonate, and the like. While any one of these materials, or any combination of them, gives satisfactory results I preferably use wood pulp. With this improved method of procedure, I have found that the disadvantage of lumping of the nitrocellulose is completely obyiated, since the particles of the carbonaceous or other material assist in breaking up or separating the particles of nitrocellulose. Another advantage derived i'rom my improved process comes from the fact that this procedure helps to bring about the inclosure of 55 air-bubbles in the gelatinized mixture, a condition which in actual experience has proved to be very beneficial.

In carrying out this pre-mixture of the nitrocellulose with the solid, non-gelatinizing material, various methods of procedure may be followed. For example, a-large mixture of nitrocellulose and wood pulp or other carbonaceous or solid, non-gelatinizing material may be made, sufiicient for use in a number of mixings of gelatin dynamites. On the other hand only the exact amounts of nitrocellulose and wood pulp desired for one mixing may be weighed out and incorporated. If desired, the material used as antacid in the gelatin may be included in the preliminary mixture also. It will be apparent from the foregoing that it may be optional whether the mixing is mechanical or by hand.

By way of illustration, examples are given below of the compositions of the two types of gelatinous explosives, in which column I represents an ordinary gelatin dynamite, while column II repre- I sents what is known as a modified blasting gelatin, covered by my copending application Serial No. 659,503, filed March 3, 1933. It should be understood, however, that my invention is in no way so limited by the compositions given below.

I II Nitroglycerin 33 91 Nitrocellulose 1 5 35 Sodium nitrate 49 Wood pulp 2 3 Starch 5 .'Meal 6 Sulfur 2 Calcium carbonate 2 1 In the manufacture of gelatinous explosives of the foregoing compositions by my improved 95 process, the following procedure would be followed. In the case of I, the nitrocellulose and the wood pulp would be first mixed, with or without the addition of the calcium carbonate and some of the other carbonaceous, or other solid, non-gelatinizing ingredients. This mixture may then be added to the nitroglycerin and the gelatinization carried out for the proper length of time. The remaining ingredients may then be mixed for the necessary time to insure thorough incorporation and the proper consistency. In the case of II, the nitrocellulose and the wood pulp, or the like, are mixed, and if desired the calcium carbonate also. This mixture is then added to the nitroglycerin, and the gelatinization is properly carried out. It should be understood that, if desired, only a part of the car-v bonaceous material need be incorporated with s the nitrocellulose in their preliminary mixings in either of the above explosives and that the remainder may be mixed subsequently.

While various percentages of the non-gelatinizing solid ingredient may be used, from 0.1 to

10 parts of the non-gelatinizing ingredient for one part of nitrocotton, we preferably use 0.5 to

2 parts of the non-gelatinizing solid ingredient for each one part of nitrocotton.

It is to be understood also that, where nitroglycerin has been mentioned in this application, I intend to include also all those brands of liquid explosive in which various freezing point depressants have been dissolved in the nitroglycerin, as well as various explosive compounds such as ethylene glycol dinitrate, which have beenused as substitutes for nitroglycerin. My invention applies equally-well to gelatins, in which part of the nitroglycerin has been replaced by ammonium nitrate.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the foregoing examples or descriptions except as indicated in the following patent claims:

I claim:

1. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing nitrocellulose with a dope material, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

2. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing nitrocellulose with 'a carbonaceous absorbent material and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric two nitrate groups.

3. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing nitrocellulose. with wood pulp, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

4. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing 1 to 5 parts nitrocellulose with 3 to 10 parts of a dope material, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with 33 to 92 parts of a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

5. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing 1 "to 5 parts nitrocellulose with 3 to 10 parts of carbonaceous dynamite which comprises mixing one part meste'r containing at least 1 absorbent material and gelatinizing the resulting composition with 33 to 92 parts of a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

, 6. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing 1 to 5 parts nitrocellulose with 3 to 10 parts of wood pulp, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with 33 to 92 parts of a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

7. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing one part nitrocellulose with 0.1 to 10 parts of dope material, and gelatinizing-the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups. Y

8. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing one part nitrocellulose with 0.1 to 10 parts of a carbonaceous absorbent materiaL'and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

9. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing one part nitrocellulose with 0.1 to 10 parts wood pulp, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups. v

' 10. The processof manufacturing gelatinous I 105 trocellulose with 0.5 to 2 parts of dope material, and gelatinizing. the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups. f

11. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite'which comprises mixing one part ni-- trocellulose with 0.5 to 2 parts of a carbonaceous absorbent material, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups. i

12. The process of manufacturing gelatinous dynamite which comprises mixing one part nitrocellulose with 0.5 to 2 parts wood pulp, and gelatinizing the resulting composition with, Jo. liquid'aliphatic nitric ester containingat least two nitrate groups.

13. The process of manufacturing gelatin dynamite, which comprises mixing nitrocellulose with a non-gelatinizing solid ingredient, substantially insoluble in nitroglycerin and acting solely as a dispersing agent for said nitrocellulose, and gelatinizing the product with a liquid aliphatic nitric ester containing at least two nitrate groups.

CLIFFORD 'A. wooDBuRY. 

